1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio communication card that is mounted in card slots of various information processing apparatus (such as personal computers and personal digital assistants) to allow radio communication.
2. Description of the Related Art
Radio communication cards have been known which allow radio communication to be performed using cellular phones or wireless LAN""s (local area networks) without providing external modules or sections f or expansion. Such a radio communication card will now be described as an example of the related art.
The radio communication card is aimed at allowing radio communication using a cellular phone or wireless LAN without providing any external module or section f or expansion. A PC card is fabricated based on PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) specifications.
FIG. 17 is an illustration of the radio communication card according to the related art. As shown in FIG. 17, a portable personal computer 51 has a liquid crystal display section 52 and a PC card slot 53. A PC card 54 for radio communication can be mounted in the PC card slot 53. An antenna containing section 55 is provided on a card body of the PC card 54. A transmission/reception antenna 56 for radio communication is rotatably attached to the antenna containing section 55. The transmission/reception antenna 56 for radio communication can be moved between a first position in which it is contained in the antenna containing section 55 and a second position in which it protrudes from the card body.
Therefore, the transmission/reception antenna 56 for radio communication can be contained in the card body by containing it in the antenna containing section 55 when radio communication is not performed. When radio communication is to be performed, the transmission/reception antenna 56 for radio communication can be pulled out from the antenna containing section 55 to be taken out from the card body. A plurality of exemplary configurations as described below is disclosed in publications of related arts.
(1) In a PC card for radio communication, an antenna containing section constituted by a groove in the form of a recess is provided on an end of the card body opposite to an end of the same where a card is inserted. A transmission/reception antenna for radio communication is contained in the antenna containing section.
(2) Another PC card for radio communication has an antenna containing section that is constituted by a hollow section extending into the card body from a surface on an end thereof opposite to an end of the same where a card is inserted.
(3) Another PC card for radio communication has an antenna containing section that is constituted by a groove in the form of a recess provided on a top surface of a card body.
(4) Another PC card for radio communication has a planar antenna section provided on a top surface of a card body.
(5) A planar antenna section is attached to an end of a card body opposite to an end thereof where a card is inserted through a hinge section. The planar antenna section can be freely rotated between a closed position in which it lies on top of the card body and an open position in which it protrudes from the card body.
(6) Another PC card for radio communication has a card body thickness that is set at the thickness of a type I or type II PC card (3.3 mm or 5 mm). The thickness of a planar antenna section is set such that the total thickness of the card body including the antenna section placed on top of the same will be equal to the thickness of a type II or type III PC card (5 mm or 10 mm).
However, the radio communication cards as examples of the related art have the following problems.
(1) When an antenna containing section constituted by a groove in the form of a recess or a hollow section is provided in a card body, the space in the card body is reduced by the presence of the antenna containing section. This sets limits on the arrangement of a substrate, components, and wiring patterns in the card body.
(2) When a planar antenna provided on a top surface of a card body is inserted in a PC card slot along with the card body, wave receiving sensitivity is reduced.
(3) In case that a type II PC card as described in the above item (6) is used, an interface connector cannot be provided in the middle of the same when a planar antenna section is placed on the card body. It is therefore difficult to realize a radio communication card having such a configuration.
One of the features of the present invention is provide a radio communication card that can be mounted in an existing card slot even when an antenna portion is provided on a surface of a card body of the same.
There is provided a radio communication card comprises: a card body which contains a radio communication logic and which can be mounted in a card slot of an information processing apparatus and an antenna portion which forms at least a part of a surface of the card body and which is mounted such that it can be moved between a first position in which it is contained in the card body and a second position in which it protrudes from the card body.
A radio communication card according to the invention may comprise the card body has a thickness substantially equal to a thickness defined in a predetermined specification when the thickness of the antenna portion is included. A radio communication card according to the invention may comprise the antenna portion has a thick portion in which an electronic component can be contained.
A radio communication card according to the invention may comprise the antenna portion has an operating portion for causing it to move between the first position and the second position. A radio communication according to the invention may comprise the card body has an elastic member for generating a force to move the antenna section from the first position to the second position.
In the above configurations, even when a radio communication card is inserted in a card slot of an information processing apparatus, the antenna portion can be used by sliding it in the card body and pulling out it from the card slot. The antenna portion can be easily moved out of the card slot, and there is no redundant step.